This light & fresh salad is perfect for summertime when you don’t feel like making anything. I always keep my refrigerator filled with these garden veggies. So whenever it’s time, I just pop them out and enjoy this delicious salad, hot or cold. The post contains Helpful Tips & Tricks for making Lemon Orzo Salad. But if you’re in a hurry, you can also click “Jump to Recipe’ under the Heading to go directly to the Recipe Card or click Recipe Card from the Table of Contents below.
WHY YOU’LL LIKE THIS LEMON ORZO SALAD
Ready in No Time: It takes hardly any time to prepare this salad. It is easy and versatile and tastes fresh in every single bite. To save time, you can chop the veggies and assemble the ingredients while boiling the orzo. Loaded with Fresh Veggies: This lemon salad is loaded with fresh veggies, including roasted asparagus, arugula, onions, mini peppers, olives, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, etc. This is a salad, so you can add as many colorful & vibrant veggies to the salad. Versatile: You can serve it hot or cold. You can also store the leftover in the fridge, and the salad will still taste good. Party Pleaser: It is such a delicious salad that you can serve it as a main dish or side with some corn salad, corn on the cob, baked potatoes, sweet potato nachos, etc.
WHAT IS ORZO?
Orzo is a kind of pasta that looks like long-grain rice but is thick. They have a creamy and buttery flavor and provide great texture to soups or salads when added. You can get them from your local grocery stores in the Pasta aisle. You can make this recipe with any other Pasta by following the steps. The taste will be pretty much the same. But with Orzo, flavors get blended more nicely.
INGREDIENTS & SUBS
ORZO: Obviously, you need Orzo Pasta for making Orzo Pasta Salad. But you can also make the same recipe using some other variety of pasta.VEGGIES: All colorful and beautiful garden veggies look great in Lemon Orzo Salad. I have added red onion, cherry tomatoes, mini sweet peppers, cucumber, olives, roasted asparagus, etc. GREENS: I love adding arugula to my orzo salad. But you also add spinach, kale, garden salad, etc.HERBS: This is the most beautiful part of this salad. You can add any or all the herbs. They work perfectly and beautifully in bringing the flavors together. I love adding mint to the salad as it brings fresh flavor. VINAIGRETTE: You can add any Vinaigrette of your liking. To make this salad more refreshing, I have used Lemon Vinaigrette.CHEESE (OPTIONAL): I am not a fan of Cheese, but if you want to elevate the flavors, you can definitely add Feta Cheese to it.NUTS: For some crunch, you can also add nuts like pinenuts, sliced almonds, pecans, etc.
HOW TO MAKE LEMON ORZO SALAD
Prepare Dressing:
Next, is to prepare dressing or vinaigrette of your liking. I have used Lemon Vinaigrette in the recipe. Add olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, honey/maple syrup, garlic, salt & peppers, and chopped cilantro in a bowl. Whisk the ingredients until well combined. Let it sit while you prepare the orzo.
Cook Pasta:
You can boil the orzo in the instant pot or on the stove-top. When making Stove-Top: Boil the water and add orzo to the boiling water. Let it cook for 10 minutes as per the instructions listed in the box. Once boiled, drain the liquid and add them to a bowl. When making in an Instant Pot: Add orzo and water to the Instant Pot and close the lid. Pressure cook for 3 minutes. When the timer beeps, release the pressure immediately by turning the vent to the venting position. Drain the liquid and soak the orzo in water to avoid sticking.
Roast Asparagus:
I have used asparagus in the salad, so I have roasted it in the oven. Or you can also make it in an air fryer. Preheat the oven to 400°F for 10-15 minutes. Discard the ends of asparagus and trim them. On a baking sheet, add asparagus. Spray olive oil and season them with salt & pepper. Mix them until asparagus is well coated. Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven. Roast the asparagus for 10-15 minutes at 400 degrees F.
Assemble the Salad:
Next, cut all the veggies you want to add to the salad, including onions, peppers (bell peppers or mini sweet peppers), cucumber, tomatoes, olives, and mint leaves. In a salad bowl or a big bowl, add cooked orzo. Next, add onions, mini peppers, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, arugula, roasted asparagus, olives, mint leaves, and feta cheese. Pour in the prepared Lemon Vinaigrette, serve it hot or cold, and enjoy!
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